East of Eden

Steinbeck proposes that the individual is more important than the collective. The narrator states this explicitly in criticizing the industrial boom of the 19th century for creating a norm of valuing mass production. Creativity, says the narrator, can come only from the individual mind—and creativity is essential.

The novel’s character arcs demonstrate the importance of the individual over the collective. Cal must learn how to reckon with himself first, forgoing his expectations of love from his father or brother. Lee remains steadfast in his convictions and preaches that loneliness is precious. Charles and Cathy are extreme examples in that they function well on their own. Cathy wants total freedom, which requires that she remain solitary. Although she isn’t the ideal moral example, she has figured out the power of relying on oneself. Even Adam and Aron embody this in their own way: They’re selfish because they believe their worldviews and interpretations are the most important, and they think of the world around them only in terms of their convictions—whether those ideals are shallow or deep doesn’t matter. Many of the novel’s characters find themselves ruthlessly and painfully navigating human relationships. Although Steinbeck doesn’t want people to stop connecting with each other, the characters’ inner conflicts demonstrate that to first acknowledge your own responsibility and worth is paramount in achieving happiness, success, or peace of mind.

This theme is quintessentially American. Other cultures emphasize the importance of the community over the individual, but the US takes the opposite approach. In part, this attitude derives from the country’s sheer size. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the US was still expanding. Families like the Hamiltons and Trasks had to build towns and cultures. To be a farmer on a frontier is a difficult and thankless life, so individualization is crucial. This philosophy of individual before collective ties into contemporary American discussions on issues such as welfare. The balance between helping yourself and being helped by others is tricky. Aron, for example, needs others to take care of him, which leaves him unable to figure out many life challenges on his own. However, Cal has no choice but to embrace his individuality, especially because he fears he doesn’t have it at all. He worries that he carries Cathy’s blood, and he constantly tries to imitate Aron to be welcomed and loved. Trying to win over the collective group has never worked for Cal, so his character arc depends on embracing his individuality.